


Winter Finds Her

by Rebelsarestrongashell



Category: Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Red Room (Marvel), buckynat - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22349245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebelsarestrongashell/pseuds/Rebelsarestrongashell
Summary: When Natalia fails a mission for the first time, Winter will find her.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov
Kudos: 34





	Winter Finds Her

**Author's Note:**

> I've been in a BuckyNat mood lately so I wrote this quick one-shot last night! Let me know if you like it, I might start a small collection of them! Thanks for reading!

Drops of blood stained the snow as Natalia made her way through the darkening woods. The city lights were now far behind her, which meant the abandoned cabin wasn’t too far away. She needed to find it quick, the blood loss was starting to make her feel light-headed, her limp was slowing her down, and that cabin was her only hope for making it through the night alive.

The black outline of a small building appeared a few hundred feet ahead of her. She cursed under her breath from relief as she quickened her pace the best she could with her wounded leg. She placed her ear against the door to hear if anyone was inside, but there was nothing but silence. She mustered up what strength she had and broke through the door with her shoulder. 

She stumbled in the dark as her eyes adjusted, looking for anything she could use for a light source. In her head, she could hear Madame B scolding her for how ungraceful she was being. She could hear Ivan telling her how disappointed he was with her for failing him. She pushed the voices aside as she struggled to survive. She had to ditch everything, including her rifle, to get out the city undetected. Now all her hope resided in whatever materials were left behind by whoever used to live here, and she had to find them quickly, or else the loss of blood would be too significant to recover from.

She found matches in a broken drawer in the kitchen area and was able to keep her hands from shaking long enough to light one. She spotted a handful of candles scattered across the one-room cabin and limped around, burning each one.

With enough light to see what she was doing, she found a thin bed sheet on the rusted bed and ripped it into pieces to create a truncate. She wrapped the cloth around the wound on her leg before she collapsed on the floor from exhaustion. Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she pulled herself up against the wall and chastised herself for the stupid mistakes she made that lead her here.

It was a simple mission she was given, an easy enough target to take out, a high ranking officer with a knack for selling secrets to fund his high-end lifestyle. She was awarded this mission for being the best of the best in the Red Room. The other girls envied her, Madame B and Ivan wanted her to show them how it was properly done, but instead, she failed them. She knew what the price of failure was in the Red Room, and she couldn’t bear to face it. Or would they think her dead if she never returned? The Colonel would be sure to tell them that his men were able to get to her. Would they assume she succumbed to her wounds alone in the city? Maybe this was it, perhaps this was the way she could get out as long as she made it through the night.

A small smile fell on her lips at the thought before her mind turned to James. What would he think of her failure? Would he be worried or upset that she left without him or without saying goodbye? He was the only good thing, the only good thing out of all of it, but was it enough to make her go back? It’s what she debated silently until she finally drifted off. 

The feeling of cold hands on her wound is what abruptly woke her. Ready to fight, she pulled back to swing, but the hands caught hers before she could strike. James’ eyes bore straight into hers, his mask covering everything from his nose down. It was then she realized she had been holding her breath and exhaled, relaxing back into the wall behind her. She didn’t say a thing as she watched him tend to her gunshot wound. She had no idea of what time it was, but it was still pitch black outside, she could have been asleep for days or minutes for all she knew. 

It didn’t take long for the soldier to clean the leg wound with the freshwater and bandages he had brought with him. Luckily it was a clean exit, and the bullet had missed all major arteries. When he was done, he looked back at Natalia, eyes full of worry and relief as he pushed back loose strands of her red hair behind her ear. His face was only a few inches away from hers.

Something about the silence comforted Natalia, but she needed to hear his voice at this moment, so she slowly reached up to his face to take off the mask. With his face in full view, they stared at each other for a few moments longer before their lips met. It wasn’t rushed or urgent like so many of their kisses before. It was purposeful and covered her like a warm blanket. He gently brought his hand to her cheek as he pulled away, only to bring their foreheads together. He took in the moment, thankful that he had found her before anyone else did.

“How did you find me?” Natalia whispered, finally breaking the silence.

“You left a blood trail straight to you.”

She couldn’t help but let out a slight laugh which he returned. Natalia’s smile fell as she fought to hold back tears, “I failed,” she bit her lip to keep it from trembling, “I failed, and if you’re here, they must know.”

He handed her a canteen of water without a word. She took small sips, recognizing the signs of dehydration her body was sending her. After a few moments, he gave her the answer that she already knew, “Yes, they know, and the Colonel Kershiv still lives.”

Natalia closed her eyes and rested her head back against the wall, fearing what would wait for her when they returned. Would they kill her like they killed some of the others that failed or torture her liked they did the others the deemed too essential to dispose of? 

“But,” The soldier continued, “The mission was compromised, and no-one knew before it was too late.”

“What?”

“Someone tipped them off. They knew you were coming.”

It clicked in her head; it all made sense as she thought back. She was in a perfect position; her scope lined up to take the shot. Bullets flew in her direction before she could make the kill, only one of them striking her in the leg. At that moment, she just thought it was by chance that a security guard or someone else spotted her. However, the shots were aimed well enough to signify advanced military training but not strategic enough to signify a trained assassin. They were Kershiv men, and they were clearly in position, awaiting her arrival. The question remained of who would have tipped him off.

It was as though James could read Natalia’s mind, “They don’t know who compromised the mission yet, but I do,” He moved to sit next to her against the wall, “Who would benefit most, not from keeping Colonel Kershiv alive, but from your failure?”

Natalia thought to herself for a moment. The spiders in the Red Room were undoubtedly not best friends but were sisters and would never threaten another’s mission. Except one, one who held nothing but resentment towards Natalia for being better than her, for being the star in the eyes of Madame B and the Winter Soldier.

“Anya.”

“Anya.” He confirmed.

James gently turned Natalia’s head towards his. “You can go back and make her pay in whatever way you deem necessary, and I will help you,” He paused seeming to plan his next words carefully, “Or you don’t have to go back at all.”

Natalia’s eyes widen in surprise. She had let her thoughts of escaping evaporate when she awoke to him in front of her. 

“I could tell them I found your blood trail but never you that I suspected you dead. It would give you enough time to get out of the country.”

She put her hand over his, “They would kill you or worse when they discovered you lied.”

“Yeah, yeah, they would.”

It hit her like a freight train. She felt the wind knocked out of her. He loved her. He loved her so much that he would die to protect her, to give her even the smallest chance to getaway. She realized she couldn’t leave, at least not without him.

“I think I love you, James Buchanan Barnes,” She whispered before bring her lips back to his. This time there was a familiar sense of urgency, “But I’m not leaving, and I haven’t failed my mission, not yet.”

He gave her a look of confusion before the sudden understanding was displayed across his face.

“They expected me before, but they won’t expect me now and especially not the two of us,” She smiled, feeling the confidence back in her bones, “I’m not going to let them win, and I’m not going to let Anya win.”

“I love you.” He said through a rare smile, bringing her back in for another kiss.

The two of them, made of the same stuff. Natalia knew they would always find their way back to each other, no matter what.


End file.
